Native American Health Center Case Study

Native American Health Center

Exceeded in-person fundraisings goals for 3 Annual Galas.

Currently working to enroll patients at new Flicker Building dental offices.

Overview

Native American Health Center (NAHC) is the heartbeat of the Native community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 1972, NAHC has provided holistic healthcare that honors the truth that health is not just physical, but mental, spiritual, and cultural as well.

Their origin story began when a small group started in an old BART station to serve Native people who had been brought off reservations with promises that were never honored. Under Martin Waukazoo’s (Lakota) leadership for 40 years, NAHC grew from a tiny clinic to multiple buildings across Oakland and San Francisco, guided by the belief in "all our relatives." Everyone is welcome, everyone is treated with dignity.

Client

Native American Health Center

Year

2022-Present

Industry

Healthcare

The Mission

Improve the health and wellbeing of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and residents of the surrounding communities.

Scope

7 Films and Counting

Social Media Content

Speech Writing

Marketing Support

Education

Showcase Films

The Challenge

Native peoples have been subject to extractive storytelling throughout history—romanticized yet dishonored, painted in deficit-based narratives focused on trauma rather than assets. NAHC needed a partner who understood that storytelling itself can be a tool of oppression, and who was committed to doing it differently.

Our Approach

We’ve spent countless hours in conversation with dozens of people in the organization. We started by teaching our ethical storytelling course. NAHC participated, and through conversations around ethics, we built a relationship.

Our story-finding process mirrors talking circles—an intentionally created safe space for deep conversation rather than extractive questioning. With each of the seven films, our understanding became more expansive.

Result & Impact

We Documented History in the Making

From empty parking lot (2021) to the completed Flicker building (2026)—combining healthcare, affordable housing, and a 300-person cultural center. NAHC now owns multiple buildings on the same block and is now working to expand its Oakland campus.

We Supported Critical Leadership Transition

When founder Martin Waukazoo (Lakota) retired after 40 years, our 2024 gala film presented Natalie Aguilera (Choctaw) as the new CEO to the community, documenting her origin story and supporting her as she stepped confidently into her role.

We're Shifting Cultural Narratives

Seven films over four years built a comprehensive narrative that challenges stereotypes—celebrating excellence, innovation, community-building, and cultural values that inform solutions to systems-level problems. We're not repeating harmful stores; we're shifting how Native communities are seen and understood.